The number of people who come down with the flu each year varies. According to the federal government, the percentage usually ranges between 5 percent and 20 percent of the total population.
Of course, that doesn't matter at all to you if you're the one with the flu. Misery doesn't really care about percentages.
For most people, the flu is unpleasant but not life threatening. But not for everyone. The flu results in around 200,000 hospitalizations annually, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Lethality varies, but the United States generally sees at least 3,000 deaths a year from influenza.
That explains why the federal government is encouraging people to get a flu vaccine. This year's vaccines were approved this past summer and include a variant similar to the H1N1 flu that caused a global pandemic two years ago.
Use the map below to find vaccine sites near you by entering your zip code.
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